Biking

Cyclists who follow the rules of the road dramatically reduce their risk of colliding with a motor vehicle.

Parents: Think of a bicycle not as a toy, but as your child’s first vehicle. Help your child learn good basic cycling habits early. Practice safely crossing different types of intersections before allowing your son or daughter to bike independently. Remember that you are your child’s best role model!

Bicycle Safety Tips

Be visible. Ride where drivers will see you: on the right side of the road. Drivers are not looking for wrong-way traffic. Wear light or bright colors and don’t weave in and out of parked cars or ride on the sidewalk.

Be predictable. Follow the same rules of the road as automobiles. Avoid crashes and traffic tickets by obeying ALL stop signs, traffic signals, and other traffic laws. Unless you are walking your bike, you are not a pedestrian.

Signal your turns if you can do so while maintaining good control of your bike.

Ride on the right, moving in the same direction as traffic. Wrong way riding is extremely dangerous. If there is no bike lane, ride as far to the right as practicable. Stay visible to traffic by not weaving in and out of parked cars.

Wear your helmet and buckle it every time – It’s the law. To best protect your brain, your helmet must fit properly – snug and level on your head, just above your eyebrows.

Be alert and visible. Ride at least 3 feet from parked cars to avoid suddenly-opened doors. Ride far enough from the gutter to avoid the debris that accumulates there, and scan the road ahead for hazards. Check over your left shoulder regularly for approaching traffic (practice so you can do this without swerving).

Make left turns safely and legally – don’t turn left from the bike lane or right side of the road. Most youth should make pedestrian-style left turns (called “box turns”). Experienced bicyclists can look, signal, and merge to the left in advance of the intersection, much the way car drivers turn.

Make eye contact with drivers – especially at intersections and driveways. Don’t assume that drivers see you! Encourage right-turning drivers to turn behind you instead of cutting across in front of you by moving a couple of feet to the left when approaching intersections (look over your shoulder to be sure it is safe before doing so).

You always have the option of becoming a pedestrian. Consider this if the intersection is especially crowded. Move out of the stream of traffic, get off your bike and walk it in the pedestrian crosswalk. Young children are often slow and wobbly when starting from a stop. They are better off as pedestrians at intersections with traffic lights.

Obey instructions of adult crossing guards. Elementary school students are required to get off their bikes and walk through intersections with crossing guards.

Do NOT carry things in your hands. You should secure anything you need to carry on your bike rack or basket. Keep your backpack snug, not dangling low on your back.

Helmets

Bike riding, scooters, roller blading and skate boarding are all fun activities that lead to better health, skills, and independence. That’s why it’s so important to teach your children safety skills as they enjoy these activities.

Learning to ride safely and avoid crashing is the most important thing you can do. As insurance against the unforeseen, though, helmets can be very effective. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85%, and a properly-worn bike helmet can reduce the chance of brain injury by 88%.

Make sure that your children not only have a helmet but also that it fits and they use it properly every time they ride. California state law requires that a properly fitted and fastened helmet be worn by those under the age of 18 who are using a bike, scooter, skates or skateboard.

Proper Helmet Fit

The goal is: “Snug, Level, and Low”.

The above pictures show a helmet positioned well vs. too far forward.

The above pictures show a helmet positioned well vs. too far back.

The helmet should be comfortably touching the head all the way around, level and tight enough to resist even violent shakes or hard blows and stay in place. It should be as low on the head as possible to maximize side coverage, and held level on the head with the strap comfortably snug.

A helmet should be replaced if it has been in a crash, if the foam is cracked, if the shiny outside layer is cracked or peeling, or if it doesn’t fit anymore.

Here are some visual guides to help fit a helmet properly:

Getting a helmet adjusted properly and keeping it that way is important. There are links below to detailed instructions on the adjustment procedures.

Preventable Injuries

Learning to ride a bike is a big milestone in a child’s life. The bicycle, a child’s first vehicle, is a source of pride and a symbol of independence and freedom. It is important to help your child learn to ride safely.

Here are the most common ways that children get hurt while riding bikes:

Wrong-way riding

Turning left from the right side of the road

Riding out of the driveway into the road without stopping and yielding

Failing to yield (example: running a stop sign)

Swerving suddenly

In addition, always wear a helmet properly: 85% of all bicycle fatalities are due to head injuries, and a properly-worn bike helmet can reduce the chance of brain injury by 88%.

Parents must enforce wearing a helmet along with teaching children how to avoid accidents. It is not enough just to wear a helmet but also children must learn street skills.

Bike Education for Kids and Parents

The Third Grade Bike Safety Program is a bicycle education program offered each fall to PAUSD third graders. This is a fun 3-part program with an on-bike rodeo to teach key skills to keep kids safe on the road.

The last lesson is an on-bike practice (“Bike Rodeo”) with bicycle professionals and PA Police Department.

Learn more about this program and how you can volunteer. Contact Sylvia Star-Lack or call (650) 329-2156.